Polyurethanes

Pipe insulationOver 40 000 km of pipe success

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Huntsman is a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemical products that improve the quality of life for people around the world. Following more than 30 acquisitions since 1970, Huntsman Corporation today is a dynamic public company with 11,000 employees in multiple locations worldwide. The company’s 2009 revenues were approximately $8 billion.

The polyurethane division of Huntsman

Huntsman is a global leader in providing MDI based polyurethanes solutions across an

extensive range of applications and market sectors. Our aim is to grow the polyurethanes

market in partnership with our customers through our innovation, responsiveness and

commitment. High performance insulation, comfort , adhesion and protective coatings are

just some of the key benefits that our products deliver. The amazing insulating property

of polyurethanes can be fine tuned to bring benefit to many different industries due to

the versatility of the material. Sandwich panels, pre-insulated pipes, water heaters and

refrigerated cabinets are just few of the endless possibilities.

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What is Polyurethane?

Polyurethane is produced by reacting two liquid chemicals,

an isocyanate and a polyol to form a solid blown matrix. The

inclusion of a blowing agent into one of the liquid streams

expands the polymer matrix during the change from liquid to

solid. Hence, a solid foam is obtained. The chemical reaction

is controlled according to the choice of manufacturing

process together with a selection of further additives and

catalysts. In pre-insulated pipes, rigid polyurethane foam is

the material of choice due to the compelling combination of

insulation excellence and mechanical properties.

Polyurethane in pipe insulation

• Polyurethane foam has an extremely low

thermal conductivity minimizing heat exchange

with a minimal layer of insulation

• Polyurethane foams can be fine-tuned to

operate in a wide range of temperatures

• Excellent mechanical properties are

achieved even with low densities

• Polyurethane insulated parts can be

produced in factories or foamed in situ

• Polyurethane foam is compatible with many

materials and provides excellent adhesion

and long lasting dimensional stability

• Low water and air ingress is a long term guarantee

for maintaining the excellent insulating properties

throughout the life cycle of the pipeline

• Polyurethane insulated pipelines have

minimal total cost of ownership

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Moving energy to people

Polyurethane is the sustainable insulation for energy transport

District heating and cooling

District heating and cooling are very efficient systems to provide

warm or cold water to both residential, commercial and industrial

users. Thanks to optimally scaled plants, primary energies are

used to pump heat in the desired direction. Warm or chilled water

is the standard medium used in these networks and polyurethane

insulation is the key to efficiently bring the energy where it is needed.

Oil and Gas

Many thousands kilometers of pipeline are employed to serve the oil

and gas industry on every continent. An intricate network of on shore

and off shore transmission pipelines, platforms and tanks stands

at the very fundament of a modern energy industry. Polyurethane

provides the engineer with the very best material to solve the

complex trade-off between operational and capital costs.

Industrial Pipelines

Pipelines are extensively used within chemical parks and plants in

order to efficiently move fluids. Insulating these pipelines reduces

energy dissipation and saves pumping costs. Petrochemical,

pharmaceutical, food, beverages and mining industries are

commonly equipped with polyurethane insulated lines.

Cryogenic

Liquefied natural gas is an extremely important and growing source

of energy. Its transport is only possible in cryogenic conditions.

Polyurethane is widely used to insulate both pipelines and tanks in

this field.

Increased global energy demand calls for substantial investment in

environmental friendly supply infrastructures. Polyurethane is the insulant of

choice for pipes and tanks in a wide range of industries.

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Huntsman provides solutions for the insulation of all the elements of a pipeline network

Pre-insulated straight pipes 7

Spray insulation on a rotating pipe 8

Pre-insulated flexible pipes 9

In situ insulation for joints 10

Insulation scales 11

• Huntsman designs and produces fully formulated polyol systems

containing water, catalysts and surfactants for the continuous

and discontinuous production of any element of a pipeline

• Formulated polyol systems can be supplied with or

without pre-mixed physical blowing agent

• We offer “state of the art” solutions to any combination of

technical requirements, regulation constraints and production

set-ups either based on pouring or spraying

In the European Economic Area, we will only sell products that are REACH compliant.

Huntsman offers you a wide range of different polyurethane solutions

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Huntsman offers a versatile range of polyurethane solutions for a broad manufacturing window to give your pipelines superior thermal conductivity properties in both discontinuous and continuous production

λLow lambda-values, down to 23

mW/m.K (at 50 ºC) depending on

blowing agent and process settings

Blowing agents of choice: cyclo-

pentane, HCFC141b* and water

Low density and homogeneous

density distribution

30 years resistance to high temperatures

(CCOT) guarantee: 120-165 Cº

Optimized for top filling of 6-16 m pipe rangeEasy and efficient handling with

selected low viscosity raw materials

Superior foam flow properties to

provide structural homogeneity and

quality consistency in production

Superb adhesion to metal and HDPE

due to well balanced polymerization

Solutions for high and low

pressure foaming machines

Fire rated pipes with specialty

polyol formulations

Application versatility in cold

and hot pipelinesEN 253 and EN 448 (fittings) compliant

Production techniques: Discontinuous and continuous

* only available where national regulations permit use

Polyurethane pre-insulated straight pipes and fittings

Straight pipes are pipe-in-pipe systems with an inner

pipe that is usually made of steel and they account for the

majority of pre-insulated pipe applications. Standard lengths

for pipes are 6, 12 and 16 meters and specialty variants of

straight pipes include curved pipes and fittings that allow

directional changes of the pipe run.

• Delivering high temperature resistance up to 165 ºC

• Optimized for standardised pipe lengths

• Obtaining low density with low lambda-values for continuous production

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Huntsman markets polyurethane systems specifically for spray insulation of excellent foam quality, extremely good surface finish and in a minimal amount of spray layers, to be applied for a very broad range of pipe densities

λLow lambda-values, down to 21 mW/m.K (at

23 ºC) or 24 mW/m.K (at 50 ºC) depending

on blowing agent and process settings

Blowing agents of choice: pentane,

HCFC141b* and water

Very broad density range: 40-250 kg/m3

Excellent adhesion to any

epoxy or polypropylene coated

metal, plastic or GRP pipe

Smooth and regular surface allowing

easy application of outer jacket

High fire rated foams with

specialty polyol formulations

Superb curing properties EN 253 compliant

Foam layers of 100 mm in

one spray application

Production technique: Spray

* only available where national regulations permit use

Polyurethane spray insulation onto a rotating pipe

Spray production is particularly suited for medium to large

diameter pipes and regular to heavy weight pipes. Rotating

spray insulation of pipes provides economic advantages

thanks to the possibilities to use thinner outer casing and

improved productivity thanks to shorter set-up times when

changing the pipe diameter.

• Creating extremely even and fine cells for excellent thermal insulation

• Delivering smooth and regular surfaces

• Exhibiting superb curing properties

• Spraying foam layers of up to 100 mm in only 1 spray cycle

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λLow lambda-values, down to 23

mW/m.K (at 50 ºC) depending on

blowing agent and process settings

Blowing agents of choice:

pentane and water

Competitive density range Systems for sanitary applications

Very low water absorption and permeability Good dimensional stability

Solutions for high and low

pressure foaming machinesEN 15632, part 1 and 4 compliant

Excellent adhesion to cross-linked

polyethylene (PEX), mild steel, soft

annealed copper and alu-PEX

Production technique: Continuous

For more than 10 years, Huntsman delivers polyurethane systems to combine the excellent thermal insulation of rigid foam with the high flexibility of these pipes, tailor-made to your specific equipment requirements

Polyurethane pre-insulated flexible pipes

Flexible pipes are pipe-in-pipe systems with inner service

pipes produced from flexible materials such as cross-linked

polyethylene (PEX), thin-walled steel, soft annealed copper or

alu-PEX. The product is popular with contractors because of

its ease of handling and cost-saving. Flexible pipes can be laid

down in narrow trenches and can be bend to circumvent obstacles.

Sections up to several hundred meters can be uncoiled reducing the

need for expensive weldings and numerous joints. Flow and return pipes

can be fitted into a shared outer casing pipe. This process requires the

use of special polyurethane systems to achieve the combination of high

flexibility and excellent thermal resistance.

• Guaranteeing very low thermal conductivity due to the extremely fine cell structure

• Tuned for any standard pipe density

• Offering systems specifically for pipelines in the sanitary sector

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Minimized overpacking by

free-rise density tuning

Concrete coated pipes systems with quick

curing and high compression resistance

Foam application possible to pipes

above 100 Cº without negative

impact to foam quality

Ease of mixing due to adapted

reactivity and viscosity

Specific systems for low temperatures EN 489 compliant

Production techniques: Manual and machine mixing

Huntsman markets dedicated systems for filling pipe joints to maintain the insulation level of the pipeline from low to high operating temperatures

In situ polyurethane insulation for joints

Straight pipes and fittings are laid down and are then

welded to ensure tightness of the inner circuit. Once the

inner pipe is joined and welded the operators can place an

HDPE jacket around the joint and inject a two components

mixture creating an insulating polyurethane layer in situ thus

ensuring proper insulation continuity. Systems for joints

are sold in pre-portioned packages for manual mixing.

Where it is logistically feasible and required by the size

and diameter of the pipes, joint systems can be supplied

in bigger packages and applied by portable foaming

machines. Huntsman markets both those systems.

• Specific systems for application at low temperature

• Solutions for networks into operation at temperatures above

100 ºC without negatively impacting the foam quality

• A range of systems for the production of open cell foamed joints with negative buoyancy

and superior mechanical properties for concrete coated offshore gas pipelines

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λLow lambda-values, down to 25

mW/m.K (at 50 ºC) depending on

blowing agent and process settings

Quick de-moulding

Very broad temperature resistance

from -180 ºC to +140 ºCGood dimensional stability and high strength

Smooth surface and low friabilityEasy and efficient handling with

selected low viscosity raw materials

Very low water absorption and

vapour permeabilitySelf-extinguishing systems available

Production technique: Moulding

Huntsman offers products for polyurethane insulation scales as an alternative to joint filling and as a solution for retrofitting older pipelines

• Delivering surface quality and fast operation

• Offering chemical resistant systems, compatible with most solvent

based coatings and adhesives, resins and GRP

Polyurethane insulation scales

Moulded polyurethanes scales or shells can be used to

insulate pipelines in situ or as an alternative to in situ joints.

Two scales are joined around an existing pipeline and are

then fixed and encapsulated into a cover that can be made

of many different materials but mostly by metal or glass

reinforced polyester shells. Shells are conveniently used

to retrofit old-fashioned mineral wool or foamed cement

insulated pipelines.

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Fueling your ambitions!

Huntsman delivers quality and service

The pipe insulation segment of Huntsman has solid roots into the vault of fundamental knowledge inherited from Shell. Huntsman managed to blend the technical skills that made Shell the technological leader in the pipe insulation industry with the organizational agility of a modern polyurethane multinational and became one of the most innovative suppliers of technology and materials. Huntsman wants to turn the fruits of this major technical legacy into fuel for the ambitions of our customers.

We are working on four major challenges for the future of the industry :

• Insulated pipes life cycle extension, focused on lambda-ageing

• Production efficiency improvement

• Thermal insulation improvement

• Further extension of pipe operating conditions

Our scientists and technologists are looking forward to blending the results of these major

streams of research into the right recipe to boost our customers’ competitiveness. Two major

development centers in Europe and regional technical service cells located close to the main

markets provide an extensive network to service the growth of our customers.

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STORAGE• Strategic bulk storage set-up

• Dynamic warehouse capability

• Highly efficient filling operations

SUPPORT• 24/7 emergency response

• Risk based supply chain

concepts and advice

• B2B and portal solutions

with customers

• Dedicated customer service

approach across Europe in more

than 17 working languages

• After sales support

OPERATIONS• ISO 9001 certified quality system

• Focus on continual improvement

• All-round Supply Chain and

Customer Service experts

• Flexible, make-to-order capability

• Highly automated processes

and B2B connections

• Tank telemetry

TRANSPORT• Best-in-class logistic

service providers

• ISOPA trained drivers

• Sustainable transport solutions

• Continued logistics

network development

We firmly keep in place the core values upon which our

company was founded. We are dedicated to giving our

customers the finest quality products and service available.

Our customers are valued partners and we are privileged

to serve their needs. We see service as our key market

differentiator. We relentless drive for excellence in customer

satisfaction in terms of quality, technical support and

on-time in-full deliveries. Huntsman is actively involved

in technical committees related to the pipe market in

order to help maintaining the quality and consistency of

polyurethane pre-insulated pipes.

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Building a future of growth

Huntsman is dedicated to sustainable chemistry. We are devoted to use our technical expertise to address the world’s most pressing environmental needs. With Huntsman Polyurethanes we invest in lowering energy consumption and CO2 emissions through the excellent insulation properties of rigid polyurethane foam. As a large proportion of the world’s fuel is used to either heat or cool, we help reduce global warming by insulating pipelines.

Huntsman makes EHS protection an integral part of all stages in their products’ life cycle, from

existence to recycling through their Product Stewardship process. We work very closely with

our customers, suppliers and others in the supply chain to ensure that everybody understands

the EHS issues related to our chemicals and to the polyurethanes products that are made.

Towards our customers, we take an active role via Walk the Talk, an initiative from all member

companies of ISOPA, which consists of a modular package of recommendations and

measures to achieve safety and added value through trouble-free production.

Discover Walk the Talk

www.huntsman.com/pu

European headquartersHuntsman Everslaan 45 B-3078 Everberg Belgium Telephone +32 2 758 9268 Fax +32 2 758 7268 E-mail rigids_pu@huntsman.com

American headquartersHuntsman 10003 Woodloch Forest Drive The Woodlands Texas 77380 USA Telephone +1 281 719 6000 Fax +1 281 719 6054

Asian headquartersHuntsman No. 452 Wen Jing Road Minhang Development Zone Shangai 200245 Telephone +86 21 2403 7288 Fax +86 21 6462 1234

Huntsman Polyurethanes warrants only that its products meet the specifications agreed with the buyer. Typical properties, where stated, are to be considered as representative of current production and should not be treated as specifications.

While all the information and recommendations in this publication are to the best of our knowledge, information and belief accurate at the date of publication, NO GUARANTY, WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION IS MADE, INTENDED OR IMPLIED AS TO THE CORRECTNESS OR SUFFICIENCY OF ANY INFORMATION OR RECOMMENDATION OR AS TO THE MERCHANTABILITY, SUITABLITY OR FITNESS OF ANY PRODUCTS FOR ANY PARTICULAR USE OR PURPOSE.

IN ALL CASES, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE USER TO DETERMINE THE APPLICABILITY OF SUCH INFORMATION AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE SUITABILITY OF ANY PRODUCT FOR ITS OWN PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NOTHING IN THIS PUBLICATION IS TO BE CONSTRUED AS RECOMMENDING THE INFRINGEMENT OF ANY PATENT OR OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT AND NO LIABILITY ARISING FROM ANY SUCH INFRINGEMENT IS ASSUMED. NOTHING IN THIS PUBLICATION IS TO BE VIEWED AS A LICENCE UNDER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHT.

Products may be toxic and require special precautions in handling. The user should obtain Safety Data Sheets from Huntsman Polyurethanes containing detailed information on toxicity, together with proper shipping, handling and storage procedures, and should comply with all applicable safety and environmental standards.

Hazards, toxicity and behaviour of the products may differ when used with other materials and are dependent on the manufacturing circumstances or other processes. Such hazards, toxicity and behaviour should be determined by the user and made known to handlers, processors and end users.

Huntsman Polyurethanes is an international business unit of Huntsman International LLC. Huntsman Polyure-thanes trades through Huntsman affiliated companies in different countries such as Huntsman International LLC in the USA and Huntsman Holland BV in Western Europe.

Except where explicitly agreed otherwise, the sale of products referred to in this publication is subject to the general terms and conditions of sale of Huntsman International LLC or its affiliated companies.

Copyright © 2010 Huntsman Corporation or an affiliate thereof. All right reserved.

Editors: Riccardo De Cesare, Sandy De Houwer